Question For Severum Owners

[LisaLQ]

Just wondered what other severum owners kept as tank mates for theirs? I'm not looking for other cichlids (as already have two festivums and several plecs in their tank - see profile), just wondered what other fish folks recommend?

I'd love some Dennison/Red Torpedo barbs, but they're a bit over my budget - are there any other shoaling fish that are safe in with sevs? I really really dont want silver dollars - lovely fish, bit dippy and frenzied at feeding time - my sevs wouldn't stand a chance! Some colour in there would be nice.

My tank is 6ft/180g.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I have a golden Severum and the only thing he attacks is my Angelfish and he isn't to fussed about them anyway...So generally IME anything with a nice colour that isn't to small to be eaten...I suggest a Anostomus Anostomus

 

[vancouver]

Rainbows?
Chalceus?

 

[rixy]

rainbows would be a nice addition.maybe even congo tetras.ive kept both of these fish in the past and found the rainbows to be very active fish.the congos on the other hand were quite shy.rainbows are expensive though as are congos.even small( 1 inch congos) are £5 each at trimar and raibows are also around £5 ish depending on what you buy.dennisonii(red torpedoes) are £20 for 3 at trimar so price wise its not that different.i'd get approx 6 red torpedoes and maybe some congos or/and some rainbows.all 3 are fantastic fish that look stunnig when larger.trimar is my local by the way so i have seen the above fish and go there on a weekly basis.its all down to personal choice and £££££££ really as they all look good.red torpedoes look stunning when large.trimar has a couple of 6 inch specimans in a display tank and they look the dogs dangles.

 

[DazedNCoNfUsEd]

How about Tiger Barbs?

You could get some of the regular color, some of the albino, and some of the green.

 

[RadaR]

Congo Tetras.
Black Widow (skirt) Tetras.
Silver Dollars?

 

[Rust]

My 9" breeding golden sevs, have lived with EVERYTHING, neons, widows, other tetras, angels, arowanas, catfish, at the moment they are ina 60g with 2 x 2" peacock bass and 2 x 2" nandus nandus, it all really depends on your sevs temperment. i would recomend big tetras, large danios and rainbow fish

 

[LisaLQ]

Thanks very much for all the ideas

I'm not keen on the idea of tiger barbs, as they're evil nippy gits if my memory serves me well - and with festivums in there it wouldn't be very fair on them. Silver dollars are out (as I said in original post) as they're far too skittish and nick all the food (had them in the past). Denisons are out of my price range sadly (although if I get a lottery win I will get some as I love them!), there are some congos down at the LFS for £3.50 each (or thereabouts) which is a bargain, but I'm not sure if my very sparsely plastic planted tank would suit them? Cant plant it up much more as I have several plecs.

Rainbows were my first choice, and the LFS is going to try and order me some in, but we've asked before and nothing's come of it, and they were selling a single adult in there for £8 - if they charge the same for the smaller ones then they're out of my budget for now too if I'm going to need a few. How many boesmanni would I need? Or would you pick another type? I hope they're hardier than the praecox, we've lost all 5 of ours in our community tank - no illness in the tank, params fine, just kaput.

Hey - it's a good job I didn't get hubby to pick up those unknowns I posted about on the chat board - the LFS shop owners got back off their hols and it turns out they're "golden sharks" and according to Fishbase, can get to 1m long! The LFS said "they can get quite big"...."quite big"?!?! There should be a ban on fish of that potential size in the pet trade.

 

[vancouver]

Often fish stores just don't know how big fish can get.. whatever they can do to make a sale, they will do.


Rainbows can be expensive yea.. I have australian, turquoise, and neon rainbows.. I got them all at around $2 a piece ...

Bosemani are usually more expensive, as are red iranians, and usually the turquoise ones are expensive too..

I got them from petsmart, and paid like $1.50 each, but 2/3 I bought were dead within 2 days.. so you get what you pay for from petsmart for sure.

 

[rixy]

heres some pics of some other rainbows
australis

parkinsoni

red salmon

ive kept the red salmon,praecox,parkinsoni and boesmanni in the past.if you can afford it,i would get some red salmons,parkinsoni,and boesmanni.all are available at trimar.would look stunning.